Rafael Benitez has continued his attack on Manchester United by claiming that David Gill, the club's chief executive, is too powerful an influence on the FA.

Sir Alex Ferguson branded the Liverpool manager as “ridiculous” and “disturbed” last night after a 3-0 win over Chelsea took United to within five points of Liverpool at the top of the Barclays Premier League with two games in hand. Ferguson refuted Benítez's claims that he intimidates referees and exercises too much influence on the FA.

However, the Liverpool manager remains unrepentant, arguing that Gill is the reason why United hold so much sway at Soho Square.

"They were saying we are a threat. Now they know we are, they are playing mind games," he said. "But I don't think it's a mind game when you have control over everything; it's a mind game when you have the same level as the other people, then you can show you are cleverer than the others.

"But when you have control of everything and your chief executive is powerful in the FA and things like this, then that is not mind games.

"Is there a conflict of interest with David Gill at the FA?

"That is another fact. It is a fact that one person has a lot of power and control, and is on a lot of committees in the FA. To me that is very strange."

Gill is one of three Premier League representatives on the FA board, alongside Sir David Richards, the league's chairman, and Bolton’s Phil Gartside. Neither the FA nor United have commented.